THE YONAHLOSSEE RIDING CAMP FOR GIRLS

In the summer of 1930, 15-year-old Thea Atwell is banished from her family and sent to an exclusive riding camp and finishing school in the mountains of North Carolina. Over the next year Thea recounts the events that led to her estrangement while navigating the pervasive hierarchies at a school shaped by money, looks, and riding prowess. Adina Verson narrates in a subdued voice that matches Thea's sense of isolation, both from her family and from her new peers. However, Thea lacks any trace of an accent, an odd choice for a pointedly Southern tale. This weakness, combined with an unchanging cadence, undermines the listener's connection to what is otherwise a thoughtful coming-of-age story. A.S. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2013]